Worshippers protest, reject cleric over alleged financial corruption, others in Ondo
By Boye Oyeyemi
Activities were brought to a halt at St. David’s Anglican Church, Ibulesoro, in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State on Sunday as members protested against their cleric, Venerable Adebanjo, over allegations of financial misconduct and authoritarian leadership.
The protest, which coincided with Palm Sunday observance, saw aggrieved congregants shut the church premises, locking both the main auditorium and entrance gates in a public show of disapproval of the cleric’s administration.
Eyewitnesses said men, women, and youths participated in the demonstration, preventing access to the church while insisting that they would no longer accept the leadership of the vicar.
Findings revealed that the crisis had been brewing for some time, with members accusing the cleric of excluding church elders from critical decisions, particularly those relating to finances.
Speaking with journalists, a senior member of the congregation alleged that contracts were being awarded without the knowledge or consent of the church leadership structure, adding that financial concerns, and the use of harsh and offensive language during sermons intimidated Worshippers.
Youths within the church expressed strong dissatisfaction, claiming they had been repeatedly targeted with insults from the pulpit. One member of the youth fellowship disclosed that the dispute had already affected church programmes, noting that the annual harvest was cancelled last year due to the lingering crisis.
Similarly, other congregants further revealed that the matter had been reported to the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese, who was said to have intervened by visiting the church, however, they lamented that no concrete action had been taken, expressing disappointment over what they described as the bishop’s inability to resolve the crisis.
As of press time, the situation remained unresolved, with uncertainty surrounding the resumption of normal church activities.
